Amendment SSA1-SB332

LRBs0364/1

MJL&MES:kmg:kjf

1999 - 2000 LEGISLATURE

SENATE SUBSTITUTE AMENDMENT 1, TO 1999 SENATE BILL 332

March 7, 2000 - Offered by Joint committee on Finance.

SB332-SSA1,1,12 An Act to repeal 14.63 (3) (a) 1. and 3.; to amend 14.63 (title), 14.63 (1) (b), 14.63 (3) (title), 14.63 (4), 14.63 (5) (a), 14.63 (5) (b) (intro.) and 2., 14.63 (8), 14.63 (11) (b), 14.63 (13), 16.75 (2m) (a), 20.585 (2) (a), 20.585 (2) (s) and 71.05 (6) (b) 23.; and to create 14.57, 14.63 (3) (c), 14.63 (11m), 14.64, 15.07 (1) (b) 2., 16.25, 20.585 (1) (gm), 71.05 (6) (b) 28. h., 71.05 (6) (b) 31., 71.05 (6) (b) 32., 71.05 (6) (b) 33. and 815.18 (3) (p) of the statutes; relating to: the college tuition prepayment program, creating a college savings program board and college savings program, creating a tax deduction for certain amounts contributed to the college tuition prepayment program, creating a tax deduction for certain amounts contributed to the college savings program, exempting from taxation certain gains derived from contributions to the college savings program, granting rule-making authority and making an appropriation.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

SB332-SSA1, s. 1 Section 1. 14.57 of the statutes is created to read:

SB332-SSA1,2,4 14.57 Same; attached boards. There is created a college savings program board that is attached to the office of the state treasurer under s. 15.03 and that consists of all of the following members:

SB332-SSA1,2,5 (1) The state treasurer or his or her designee.

SB332-SSA1,2,7 (2) The president of the board of regents of the University of Wisconsin System or his or her designee.

SB332-SSA1,2,9 (3) The president of the Wisconsin Association of Independent Colleges and Universities or his or her designee.

SB332-SSA1,2,10 (4) The chairperson of the investment board or his or her designee.

SB332-SSA1,2,11 (5) The president of the technical college system board or his or her designee.

SB332-SSA1,2,12 (6) Six other members, appointed for 4-year terms.

SB332-SSA1, s. 1g Section 1g. 14.63 (title) of the statutes, as affected by 1999 Wisconsin Act 9, is amended to read:

SB332-SSA1,2,15 14.63 (title) College tuition prepayment and expenses program.

SB332-SSA1, s. 1m Section 1m. 14.63 (1) (b) of the statutes, as affected by 1999 Wisconsin Act 9, is amended to read:

SB332-SSA1,2,22 14.63 (1) (b) "Institution of higher education" means a public or private institution of higher education that is accredited by an accrediting association recognized by the state treasurer, and a proprietary school approved by the educational approval board under s. 45.54 an eligible educational institution, as defined under 26 USC 529.

SB332-SSA1, s. 1r Section 1r. 14.63 (3) (title) of the statutes, as affected by 1999 Wisconsin Act 9, is amended to read:

SB332-SSA1,3,3 14.63 (3) (title) Tuition prepayment College tuition and expenses contracts.

SB332-SSA1, s. 2 Section 2. 14.63 (3) (a) 1. and 3. of the statutes, as affected by 1999 Wisconsin Act 9, are repealed.

SB332-SSA1, s. 3 Section 3. 14.63 (3) (c) of the statutes is created to read:

SB332-SSA1,3,7 14.63 (3) (c) The state treasurer may charge a purchaser an enrollment fee.

SB332-SSA1, s. 4m Section 4m. 14.63 (4) of the statutes, as affected by 1999 Wisconsin Act 9, is amended to read:

SB332-SSA1,3,19 14.63 (4) Number of tuition units purchased. A person who enters into a contract under sub. (3) may purchase tuition units at any time and in any number, except that the total number of tuition units purchased on behalf of a single beneficiary may not exceed the number necessary to pay for 4 years of full-time attendance, including mandatory student fees, as a resident undergraduate at the institution within the University of Wisconsin System that has the highest resident undergraduate tuition, as determined by the state treasurer, in the anticipated academic years of their use cover tuition, fees and the costs of room and board, books, supplies and equipment required for enrollment or attendance of the beneficiary at an institution of higher education.

SB332-SSA1, s. 5 Section 5. 14.63 (5) (a) of the statutes, as affected by 1999 Wisconsin Act 9, is amended to read:

SB332-SSA1,4,5 14.63 (5) (a) Except as provided in sub. (7m), if an individual named as beneficiary in a contract under sub. (3) attends an institution of higher education in the United States, each tuition unit purchased on his or her behalf entitles that beneficiary to apply toward the payment of tuition and mandatory student, fees and the costs of room and board, books, supplies and equipment required for enrollment or attendance at the institution an amount equal to 1% of the anticipated weighted average tuition of bachelor's degree-granting institutions within the University of Wisconsin System for the year of attendance, as estimated under sub. (2) in the year in which the tuition unit was purchased.

SB332-SSA1, s. 6 Section 6. 14.63 (5) (b) (intro.) and 2. of the statutes, as affected by 1999 Wisconsin Act 9, are amended to read:

SB332-SSA1,4,10 14.63 (5) (b) (intro.) Upon request by the beneficiary, the state treasurer shall pay to the institution or beneficiary, whichever is appropriate, in each semester of attendance the lesser of the following:

SB332-SSA1,4,12 2. An amount equal to the sum of the institution's tuition and mandatory student, fees and the costs described in par. (a) for that semester.

SB332-SSA1, s. 7 Section 7. 14.63 (8) of the statutes, as affected by 1999 Wisconsin Act 9, is amended to read:

SB332-SSA1,4,18 14.63 (8) Exemption from garnishment, attachment and execution. Moneys deposited in the tuition trust fund and a beneficiary's right to the payment of tuition and mandatory student, fees and the costs described in sub. (5) (a) under this section are not subject to garnishment, attachment, execution or any other process of law.

SB332-SSA1, s. 8 Section 8. 14.63 (11) (b) of the statutes, as affected by 1999 Wisconsin Act 9, is amended to read:

SB332-SSA1,4,24 14.63 (11) (b) The requirements to pay tuition and mandatory student, fees and the costs of room and board, books, supplies and equipment under sub. (5) and to make refunds under sub. (7) are subject to the availability of sufficient assets in the tuition trust fund.

SB332-SSA1, s. 8m Section 8m. 14.63 (11m) of the statutes is created to read:

SB332-SSA1,5,7 14.63 (11m) Financial aid calculations. The value of tuition units shall not be included in the calculation of a beneficiary's eligibility for state financial aid for higher education if the beneficiary notifies the higher educational aids board and the institution of higher education that the beneficiary is planning to attend that he or she is a beneficiary of a contract under this section and the contract owner agrees to release to the higher educational aids board and the institution of higher education information necessary for the calculation under this subsection.

SB332-SSA1, s. 8r Section 8r. 14.63 (13) of the statutes, as affected by 1999 Wisconsin Act 9, is amended to read:

SB332-SSA1,5,13 14.63 (13) Program termination. If the state treasurer determines that the program under this section is financially infeasible, the state treasurer shall discontinue entering into tuition prepayment contracts under sub. (3) and discontinue selling tuition units under sub. (4).

SB332-SSA1, s. 9 Section 9. 14.64 of the statutes is created to read:

SB332-SSA1,5,15 14.64 College savings program. (1) Definitions. In this section:

SB332-SSA1,5,17 (a) "Account owner" means an individual who establishes a college savings account under this section.

SB332-SSA1,5,18 (b) "Board" means the college savings program board.

SB332-SSA1,5,19 (2) Duties of the board. The board shall do all of the following:

SB332-SSA1,5,25 (a) Except as provided in s. 16.25, establish and administer a college savings program that allows an individual, trust, legal guardian or entity described under 26 USC 529 (e) (1) (C) to establish a college savings account to cover tuition, fees and the costs of room and board, books, supplies and equipment required for the enrollment or attendance of a beneficiary at an eligible educational institution, as defined under 26 USC 529.

SB332-SSA1,6,2 (b) Ensure that the college savings program meets the requirements of a qualified state tuition plan under 26 USC 529.

SB332-SSA1,6,4 (c) Invest the contributions to college savings accounts and pay distributions to beneficiaries and eligible educational institutions.

SB332-SSA1,6,9 (d) Provide to each account owner, and to persons who are interested in establishing a college savings account, information about current and estimated future higher education costs, levels of participation in the college savings program that will help achieve educational funding objectives and availability of and access to financial aid.

SB332-SSA1,6,14 (e) Promulgate rules to implement and administer this section, including rules that determine whether a withdrawal from a college savings account is a qualified or nonqualified withdrawal, as defined under 26 USC 529, and that impose more than a de minimis penalty, as defined under 26 USC 529, for nonqualified withdrawals.

SB332-SSA1,6,17 (f) Seek rulings and guidance from the U.S. department of the treasury, the internal revenue service and the securities and exchange commission to ensure the proper implementation and administration of the college savings program.

SB332-SSA1,6,20 (g) Ensure that if the department of administration changes vendors, the balances of college savings accounts are promptly transferred into investment instruments as similar to the original investment instruments as possible.